NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS DECEMBER ... - State

"Serving Those Who Served"

NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS DECEMBER 2006

GOVERNOR HONORS VETS

At the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day, of the eleventh month, Governor Jon S. Corzine (center) lowered the remains of 2,000 retired American flags into the ground during the Veterans Day ceremony at the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery chapel in Arneytown. Maj. Gen.

Glenn K. Rieth (left), The Adjutant General of New Jersey and retired Col. Stephen G. Abel (right), Deputy Commisioner for Veterans Affairs, assisted the Governor during the ceremony. Veterans Day coverage begins on page 6. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Mark Olsen, NJDMAVA/PA.

DCVA's Message

Dear Veteran,

We all start a new year with expectations that next twelve months will be better. Those expectations take the form as goals we hope to achieve.

The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMAVA) started 2006 with an ambitious list of goals and high expectations to serve the veterans community.

I am happy to report that the DMAVA team did very well achieving those goals with help from Governor Jon S. Corzine, the state legislature and the Veteran Service Organizations.

The Executive and Legislative branches showed their support for you with keeping this Department as one of the few to be fully funded for this current budget. That support to `Those Who Served' included an additional $2-million dollars to expand the transitional housing program for homeless veterans.

The past year saw many improvements of facilities as the new wing at Vineland Veterans Memorial Home opened which included the first assisted living unit to be built in any state veterans' home in the U.S.

The maintenance complex at the Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Cemetery was completed and the expansion of the busiest state veterans' cemetery in the country moves forward as additional federal funding has been secured to add to the existing crypt field.

For 2007 we will continue to search for the under-served veterans throughout the state. We will expand our outreach efforts in the community and will explore new ways to fulfill the Governor's vision of giving our homeless veterans a hand up. We will work with the federal Veterans Administration to provide funding to ensure several smaller projects at our facilities get the attention they deserve.

And finally it looks like 2007 will be the year that fund raising begins in earnest to get the World War II Memorial in Trenton built.

These are our expectations and I look forward to working with you to make them a reality.

Best Wishes,

Jon S. Corzine Governor

Maj. Gen. Glenn K. Rieth The Adjutant General

Retired Col. Stephen G. Abel Deputy Commissioner for Veterans Affairs

Lt. Col. James Garcia Public Affairs Officer

Tech. Sgt. Mark Olsen Layout/Photographer

Kryn Westhoven Staff Writer/Photographer

Staff Sgt. Barbara Harbison Staff Writer/Photographer

The New Jersey Veteran Journal is an official publication of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and is intended to serve New Jersey's veterans, their families, friends and concerned individuals and groups. All correspondence should be sent to the editor at: NJDMAVA, PAOV, PO Box 340, Trenton, NJ 086250340.

INDEX

DCVA's Message

2

Message from the Governor 3

Commanders Call

4

Vets Homes state-of-the-art 5

VA rates increased

6

Chosin vet files claim

7

Veterans honored

8

Veterans News & Views

10

VSO listing

13

NEED INFO

14

WW II Memorial

15

New wing dedicated

16

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Message from the Governor

Dear Veteran,

This year, for the first time as Governor, I took part in a Veterans' Day ceremony at Doyle Cemetery. Afterwards, I had a chance to take a tour and I can tell you first hand, it truly is "a place of honor for those who served." I am pleased to report that the cemetery's much needed Administrative and Maintenance Complex will be completed before the first of the year, helping the facility's dedicated staff more efficiently maintain this noble place of honor.

Veterans' Day affords us the opportunity

to reflect on the service and sacrifice of all

veterans, especially those still among us. Of

New Jersey's 600,000 veterans, 180,000 served in World War II, and many of these distinguished residents are now well into their

Governor Jon S. Corzine signs Executive Order Number 45 expanding the number of public members on the World War II Memorial Commission in an effort designed to expedite construction of the memorial on Dec. 8. "As stated in this

80's. These facts make it imperative that we Executive Order, World War II veterans endured great risks, hardships, and dep-

complete the New Jersey World War II Me- rivations while defending our country," said Governor Corzine. "As we mark the

morial without delay. To that end, I signed an 65th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, we must act now to complete the

Executive Order on December 8 expanding the membership of the New Jersey World War II Commission.

World War II Memorial so that veterans of that conflict may see this dream realized in their lifetime." The order increases the number of members from 17 to 27 and adds the Secretary of State to the list of ex-officio nonvoting commission members. The additional public members will assist in expediting the fundraising,

The new members of the commission are planning, and construction process.

prominent New Jersey citizens who will be

able to greatly assist the veterans on the commission in their efforts to raise the remaining funds needed to begin construc-

tion. As you may know, a site directly across the street from the Statehouse had been selected for the memorial and both

design and construction documents have been completed. It's time to finish the job and build a memorial to these veterans

who answered when their nation called.

Additionally, my administration recently opened a new wing at the Vineland Veterans Memorial Home, adding 153 new beds to the facility. Major General Glenn K. Rieth and Deputy Commissioner Steve Abel were on hand at the dedication, and pictures from the event are included in this issue.

Let me thank each and every New Jersey veteran for their service to our state and nation. I wish all of you and your families a joyous holiday season and only the best in the coming year.

Sincerely,

Jon S. Corzine Governor

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Commander's Call: challenges and possibilities

Photos and story by Kryn P. Westhoven, NJDMAVA/PA

The leaders of veterans' service

is now three years.

organization from across New

Those demographic changes

Jersey gathered together on Oct.

along with rising costs have lead to

28 to learn of the latest informa-

widening of the gap between actual

tion for their members and to

costs of care for a veteran and the

hear the about the newest ideas

daily care rate charged. The actual

that the Department of Military

cost is $231 dollars per day while

and Veterans Affairs (DMAVA) has

Veterans Memorial Homes only

to support the nearly 600,000 vet-

charge $159 dollars, a rate that has

erans in state.

not changed in nearly five years.

The meeting began with a warn-

"The gap has gotten too wide and

ing that unlike the current state bud-

we can not make up the difference,"

get where DMAVA was one of two

said Abel as he announced the rate

departments to be fully funded, the

will go up $25 as of January 1, 2007

next budget year starting in July 2007

to $184 dollars per day. When com-

could be different. "Everything going forward is go-

ing to be a challenge," said Maj. Gen. Glenn K. Rieth, the Adjutant Gen-

Carol Paprock, a representative of Samaritan Hospice, spoke about the benefits of hospice services for terminally ill patients.

pared to private nursing homes, the state facilities are very cost competitive added Abel, "Even at the full rate it would still be a bargain."

eral of New Jersey.

When the topic of legislative issues came up Abel gave

The department is looking at two approaches to use the the veterans leaders some ideas to focus on in 2007.

$2 million dollars added in this year's budget to address the

In the Garden State the `Vet-is-a-Vet' legislation in its

homeless veterans' issue. The original idea was to expand simplest form of allowing any veteran in the eyes of the Fed-

the existing Veterans Haven facility located on the grounds eral rules to be awarded Veterans Preference in the state is

of Ancora State Hospital in Winslow Township, adding 34- still a priority. There is a need for the state legislature to look

beds to the transitional housing program.

at forming a state committee dedicated to the issues of

With the department being involved with the Fort women veterans.

Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority, eyes have

Abel stressed that the lack of increased funding for many

turned to the base as a possible second Vets Haven site. Federal Veterans Administration programs could affect the

The leadership is exploring the idea of using the state money future expansion of the state facilities for veterans. The VA

with Federal funds to convert the current Patterson Army Home Constructions Fund has been stuck at $85 million

Hospital into a 200-bed transitional housing facility and a dollars and there is need for additional funding in the VA's

permanent home for the Veterans Administration clinic. There State Cemetery Grant Program.

should be decision in the spring if the Fort Monmouth pro-

"It is an uneven playing field for states and state cem-

posal is feasible.

eteries," explained Abel when he talked about how there is

There are an estimated 8,000 homeless vets in the Gar- currently no Federal Plot Interment Allowance for spouses.

den State, many who continue to suffer from Post Traumatic Bringing more Federal dollars back to New Jersey is goal for

Stress Disorder (PTSD).

the department, not only for facilities and programs, but more

"PTSD is for real," noted Rieth as he spoke about in- importantly for individual veterans in the form of VA entitle-

creased efforts to catch the problems early and the ments.

department's counseling hotline (1-866-838-7654).

The outreach efforts of the state Veteran Services Offic-

"That hotline serves any veteran from any war, with thirty ers to assist veterans in applying for VA benefits or re-visit-

percent of the phone calls coming from families," added re- ing an existing claim has resulted in one out of every four VA

tired Col. Stephen G. Abel, Deputy Commissioner for Veter- applications being handled by DMAVA.

ans Affairs.

Veterans are more successful in getting VA entitlements

There has been a distinct shift in the age and health of approved, over 90 percent, when assisted by DMAVA ac-

veterans entering the state's three memorial homes, with cording to David Walther, State Supervisor of the Veteran

many more being admitted in poor health and most being Services Officers. He made the analogy that not using a

older. Abel noted that the length of a residents stay in a state VSO when applying to the VA is like going to court

memorial home has dropped steadily to where the average without an attorney.

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Veterans Homes state-of-the-art

By Brig. Gen. Frank R. Carlini, Director, NJDMAVA/VHCSNew Jersey

With the dedication of the

new wing at the Vineland Vet-

erans Memorial Home, New

Jersey now has three state-

of-the-art Veterans Homes

serving nearly 900 veteran

residents.

Paramus, our northern most

home, was completed in 1986 and has

the largest resident population of all

our Homes. Menlo Park, in the middle

of the state, is our second newest

home completed in 1999. The facility

is centered around a "Town Square"

which serves not only as the social

hub for the residents but doubles as

an open area for a variety of entertain-

ment programs. All of New Jersey's State Veteran

Homes can accommodate a full spec-

The chapel in the new wing at the Vineland Veterans Memorial Home. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Mark Olsen, NJDMAVA/PA.

trum of residents nursing needs. Additionally, each Veteran

All the Homes have a host of volunteer programs. These

Home can boast of a full range of amenities including chap- programs, a majority of which are run by Veteran Organiza-

els, libraries, barbershops, beauty salons, clinical offices, tions, significantly enhance the quality of life for our Veter-

private examination rooms, complete physical therapy ser- ans through donations of both time and funds.

vices, a snack shops and much more. The new Vineland

We invite veterans and their families to contact one of

facility also contains a wing dedicated to independent living our Homes to schedule a tour. You will be impressed with

? the first for a state Veteran Home.

both the facilities and the professional caring staff.

Veterans Treated To Barbecue, Airshow At Range

Vineland Veterans Memorial Home residents visited the Warren Grove Training Range Sept. 21 for a barbecue and airshow

hosted by 177th Fighter Wing and 108th Air Refueling Wing Airmen. Photo by Tech. Sgt. Mark Olsen, NJDMAVA/PA.

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